We, the undersigned, object to Powys Councty Council Planning Applciation No 18/1130/FUL by Mid Wales Leisure for former Mid Wales Golf Centre site, Moat Lane, Caersws for the following reasons.

This planning application has been submitted for an ADDITIONAL 5 lodges, 100 Static vans and a series of amenity buildings which will cover the greater part of the 25-acre site.

The application is for a development in the Caersws Basin which forms between rapidly rising hillsides west of Newtown the passageway into the more rugged interior of Mid Wales. It’s an area of considerable environmental value and it is officially recognized by CADW for its historic importance.

Nearby Gellidywyll Caravan Park, established in 1989, covers 50 acres of ground with 116 static vans. Another park, Maesmawr Farm Resort has recently been established which currently has permission for 52 static/lodges and 40 touring van plots together with another recently submitted application for an additional 30 lodges.

All three sites mentioned are concentrated within an area of less 1 sq km. and should all proposed development be allowed they will house over 360 static/lodges and 40 touring plots. Visions of the rampant caravan sites on our coast spring to mind.

As we are often reminded we should all be the custodians for future generations for the preservation of our precious environment, its climate, its flora, and its wildlife. Accordingly, we must take every step to permit only those things that offer genuine sustainability. In this context, we should ask our councillors and their planners is this really the type of irreversible development that they wish to continue support in the blind hope that such schemes will create employment, growth and lucrative tourist income.

There are also other major issues with this development.

The potential to make worse the already existing flood problems in the lower valley as more and more natural ground with be lost to concrete hard standing’s, roofs and roadways causing additional rainwater runoff.

Great concern stems from the limited site access road Moat Lane, a narrow single lane carriageway which also serves Maesmawr Farm Resort where it provides both an access and a proposed emergency exit from this site. The lane is used by locals and farmers alike and is popular with walkers and cyclists throughout the year as part of National Cycle Route 81. Any increase in traffic flow will undoubtedly raise the potential for accidents.

The presence of protected wildlife has already been identified.[Great crested newts]. Still, in such an idyllic environment there are other valued wildlife such as owls and bats, and that any disturbance by increased human presence will cause potential loss of species, not least as a result of light pollution. On the subject of animals, there is great concern that unsupervised domestic pets brought onto the site may stray and cause problems with valuable local farm livestock.

Overall this application for such a large scale development brings with it a few advantages and is not supported by any evidence of sufficient need or sustainability. Added to the parallel application of an adjoining site for a further 30 lodges then the protected landscape and its historic neighbours will be lost to a “sea” of green roofs forever.

So help us take the responsibility for our future by reminding Powys County Council Planning Officers and our Councillors that we object to this application on the grounds stated above and that we ask them to refuse this application or substantially limit its size.

Your support of this petition would be appreciated. Thank you.